Many a tall tale have come from hunters sipping whiskey. Heck, you might have told a few yourself. But did you know this ritual represents an integral part of whiskey history?

Hunters originally packed whiskey for medicinal purposes. An 1869 issue of Hunters & Trappers advised, “When bitten, take a good whiskey and drink as fast as you can stand it; allow yourself to feel the liquor before you stop taking it; I mean, drink a half a pint…”

…In the modern era, hunters carry their jugs, flasks and bottles to toast a hard day’s hunt. Whiskey companies also target hunters…But only one brand was crated for hunters by hunters…

Chef Lenny McNab
Kessler Canyon Guest Ranch

Coffee Crusted Lamb Chop
Ingredients for the Coffee Crust
1 cup of Starbucks Verona coffee (ground fine)
1 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup Lawry’s seasoning (original flavor)
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. You will only use a small portion of the mixture for this recipe.
Ingredients for the Lamb
4 double-boned lamb chops cut from a full rack, fat trimmed from the top of the bones
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
2 tablespoons canola oil
Directions
1. In a small bowl mix together the garlic, thyme and oil. Apply the marinade to the lamb chops. Place the marinated chops on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. Place the marinated chops directly on a hot grill. Let them sit still for a minute or so to get nice grill marks on the meat. Don’t move them around a lot early in the grilling. Let the high heat sear the lamb chops and all the juice inside.*
3. During the last 2 minutes of grilling, sprinkle some coffee crust mixture on the lamb chops, turning chops twice and coating each side of the lamb with more coffee crust.
4. A double lamb chop should take a good 12-14 minutes to cook on the grill, with the result being a nice rare to medium rare.
5. Remove chops from the grill. Loosely cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes so the juices become stationary and don’t run when the meat is cut.
*Lamb is a very fatty meat and the grill will tend to “fire up” a lot as the fat drips onto the flames of the grill. If the flames seem to to get too close to burning your lamb, move it to a cooler place on the grill.

Truffle Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) expensive butter
1 tablespoon white truffle oil*
1 teaspoon chopped black truffles (optional)*
Salt and pepper to taste
*White truffle oil and black truffles are available at Italian markets, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.
Directions
1. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling, salted water for about 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. Add heavy cream, butter and truffle oil. Mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped truffles, if desired. Transfer to bowl and serve.

To Assemble
Serve lamb chops with a big spoonful of Truffle Mashed Potatoes, grilled asparagus and a generous drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

Chef Lenny McNab
Kessler Canyon Guest Ranch
Serve with Truffle Mashed Potatoes & Grilled Asparagus

Coffee Crusted Cowboy Steaks
Ingredients
2 26-ounce steaks (Chef prefers bone-in ribeye)
Garlic-herb marinade for the steaks
Coffee crust seasoning
Garlic Herb Marinade
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme
1 tablespoon fine chopped garlic
4 tablespoons canola oil
Coffee Crust Seasoning
1/2 cup fine ground coffee
1/2 cup Lawry’s seasoning
1/2 cup white sugar
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients for the garlic herb marinade together and rub into your steaks. Allow them to sit covered for 1-2 hours.
2. Heat your grill to high heat. Place your marinated steaks onto the grill and season nicely. Every time you turn the steaks over, sprinkle some coffee crust seasoning on them to build a nice crust. Lower heat to medium and finish your steaks to your liking.
3. Allow your steaks to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
The coffee in the spice rub will add a wonderful earthy richness that brings out the natural flavor of the red meat. The Lawry’s adds a nice vegetable flavor and saltiness, and the sugar caramelizes to bring a sweet crunch to the outside.

Truffle Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) expensive butter
1 tablespoon white truffle oil*
1 teaspoon chopped black truffles (optional)*
Salt and pepper to taste
*White truffle oil and black truffles are available at Italian markets, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.
Directions
1. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling, salted water for about 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. Add heavy cream, butter and truffle oil. Mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped truffles, if desired. Transfer to bowl and serve.